Did You Know Travel Tip of the Day (Wed, Dec 10) Did you know 2015 is a great time to visit Japan? Three years after its devastating earthquake and tsunami, Japan is back and looking forward to hosting the world during the 2020 Summer Olympics. New service, big openings, and a may-not-last-for-long affordable twist mean that 2015 will be a great year to embrace the intoxicating swirl of tradition and modernity that makes the country a visitor favorite. Its not every year that Japan celebrates a whole new Shinkansen (bullet train) route, so the March debut of the Tokyo-to-Kanazawa fast train is big news. Cutting the travel time in half, the Hokuriku Shinkansen will traverse the beautiful coastal route in about two and a half hours. The quick trip from Tokyo is sure to put Kanazawa—known best for its castle gardens, lacquerware traditions, standout cuisine, and internationally renowned museum of modern art—on the radars of more visitors who have limited time but boundless curiosity. In Tokyo, new hotels are getting a jump on the boom thats set to reshape the citys skyline between now and the Olympic Games in five years. 2015 openings include Aman Tokyo, Hotel Unizo, Tokyu Stay Shimbashi, Hotel Sunroute Ginza, and a Richmond Hotel. The favorable exchange rate means greater affordability for Americans in Japan right now and likely into the coming year as well. And around the country, as cities and towns begin preparations for the Olympics and beyond, expect to find more value- and convenience-boosting offerings, such as free Wi-Fi in public squares and a boost in free visitors centers (some operated by local governments, others by developments or local associations) with English-language offerings. Next spring also brings the full reopening of Himeji Castle, one of the most famous in Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage site. And 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, making it a particularly powerful year to pay a visit to the haunting and educational peace parks and museums in both cities. https://youtube/watch?v=5ZeSaDfjTG0
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 00:33:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015